1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

[dhughes214]

Please don't give me the link to the "my outboard won't start" page in the secret files. I know that thing by heart by now.

I have spark in both plugs, but after pulling and pulling it sounds like its sorta trying to start, but never does. The plugs are dry when I pull them. When I take the carb off, I do the "blow" test, and the float is working properly. What would cause it not to get fuel?

 

[Jellio]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

try pouring some gas/oil mix directly into the carb and see if it will fire for a second. If it fires like that you can start narrowing down the problem.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

Have you taken off the flywheel? Is the flywheel key in good shape? If the flywheel key is broken or not there, the flywheel stator will be out of time and you won't get spark at the right time.
If squirting fuel into the carb throat with the air silencer off won't get it to start, then take out the plugs and squirt a little dab of fuel/oil mix in the plug holes, and try to restart. If it won't run with fuel squirted into the carb throat, but will with it squirted into the plug holes, you may have bad or blocked open reed valves, but that is very rare.
JBJ

 

[BigB9000]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

I would do that too.

you choking it while trying to start it?
where is your throttle at? is it in the 'start' position?
Mine (62) will never start there. I always throttle past it.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

I had one of those 10s that was a bear to start. It would cold start in gear with lots of throttle, but not in neutral. It turned out the throttle cam on the underside of the mag plate had worked itself loose. I couldn't get enough throttle on the carb in neutral to start it. A link and synch took care of that and it started fine after that.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

Ok, I pulled off the silencer carb and sprayed some fuel mix into the carb while trying to start it, and it sounded like it was going to start but never would. I just recently replaced coils so I know the flywheel key is good. I never thought about not getting spark "at the right time". I didn't regap the points because once I replaced the coils I was getting good spark. I find it hard to believe it's a spark problem when I'm getting a good spark on both plugs. Should the plugs be dry when I pull them after trying to start the motor? I yank and yank on the starter cord and when I pull the plugs they are bone dry, don't even smell like gas. is that normal?

 

[dhughes214]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

Also, what is a link and sync, and also, I would like to regap the points just to be sure, how do I do that?

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

try spraying gas directly into the cylinders like JB suggested. One other question, whats your compression like? Low compression would make it VERY hard to start.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

Ok, compression is good, spark is GREAT, the spark jumps about a full inch. I definitely think it's something with the carb but I can't figure out what the heck it could be.When I spray gas directly into the carb it fires.

 

[bktheking]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

Idle ports blocked up, just read all the posts, have you cleaned/serviced the carb that is giving you all this grief?

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

Idle ports blocked up, just read all the posts, have you cleaned/serviced the carb that is giving you all this grief?

Great point.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

I rebuilt the carb, and thought I did a good job cleaning it. Here's the thing, where the carb meets the "silencer carb" it has that little hole where it lets gas into the carb itself (I hope that made sense, I think if you know this specific motor you will know what I'm talking about), I can get air flowing through that hole when I do the "blow" test. so why wouldn't gas travel through the same passageway?

 

[DallasJeff]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

I have the '54 model and I went through the same process. Turned out to be the filter stone in the glass bowl below the carb. I took that out temporarily and it started right up. Sounds like a fuel blockage somewhere so its worth a try.

 

[DallasJeff]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

BTW, Does the '60 model have the pressurized tank or a fuel pump? If its the pressurized tank then it could be bad seals on the tank which would keep fuel from being pushed through with any kind of pressure.

 

[bktheking]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

I rebuilt the carb, and thought I did a good job cleaning it. Here's the thing, where the carb meets the "silencer carb" it has that little hole where it lets gas into the carb itself (I hope that made sense, I think if you know this specific motor you will know what I'm talking about), I can get air flowing through that hole when I do the "blow" test. so why wouldn't gas travel through the same passageway?

You are talking about the inlet for the needle and seat. How did you clean it, was it rebuilt or just cleaned. A lot of the time the welch plugs need to be removed, the carb soaked for hours , new gasket installed, packing washers, plugs. It sounds like it needs a kit.

Did you put the needles back in the proper spots, sharp needle in the top for idle, blunt bottom for high speed.

Perhaps the float is hanging up or not set proper, you aren`t getting gas so something is causing a problem.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

ok, I did a compression check and the compression is good, I just finished my carb rebuild, but still nothing. it won't even start if I spray fuel into the spark plug holes. My father just took a look at it for me, and he is saying it's the timing. How do I know if the timing is correct and how do I adjust/fix it.

 

[bktheking]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

Points set properly, I know you said you did it but was it done correctly. What plugs are you running?

 

[dhughes214]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

I will check the points again when I take off the flywheel, I think they are correct, but I did it through the peep hole, didn't actually take off the flywheel so I could have messed up. The plugs are champion J8J, they were recommended by this site: http://www.sschapterpsa.com/ramblings/johnson_QD.htm

I get a good blue spark that jumps a tad over a half inch.

 

[Fuzzytbay]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

One problem with, doing repairs, is not diagnosing the problem first.
You need four things for a combustion engine to run, Spark, compression, fuel/air and timing. OK you have spark, you had timing, since it fired when you squirted gas in the carb, and you have compresion, so what is missing?
fuel/air.....the carb. I think your float was stuck closed, in the bowl, or the stone is cloged, either way, going back and messing with points, etc, is not the answer. NOw your plugs may be oil fouled, and not givieng correct spark and heat, so replace them too, they are cheap, and I'd recomend J6C's. If yuo didn't rebuild your carb, ie new seals, gaskets, welch plugs etc, then I'd start there, get the carb, done, so yuo know its correct. Then go back and see if you messed up the point gap. Timing on those motors is set by using an ohm meter and seeing when they open, in relation to where the flywheel is, at a specfic moment in the piston stroke. So the gap width only sets the dwell angle, not actually the moment they first open.

 

[lindy46]

Re: 1960 10 HP Johnson still won't start

I had a 5.5hp of the same vintage that I couldn't get running. I had replaced everything under the flywheel, rebuilt the carb, even replaced the reed plate. Motor had good compression, but it just wouldn't run. I finally decided to replace the carb. Got a used carb off Ebay and rebuilt it. Installed it on the motor and she started right up and ran great. All I can conclude is something in the carb was either internally clogged or there was a crack somewhere. The "new" carb solved the problem.